Insulator



June 1 1, 1929. R. M. JOHNSTON INSULATOR Filed March 26 1920 I pling links.

Patented June 11, 1929.

v UNITED STATES 1,716,963 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. JOHNSTON, OF HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO JEFFERY- DEWITT COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

v INSULATOR.

Application filed March 26, 19 20. Serial No. 368,845.

This invention is a coupling and suspending device for the dielectric members of high tension insulators, and is an improvement upon the insulator described and claimed in Letters Patent 1,329,770, granted February 3, 1920.

One of the objects of the invention, is to provide a simple and eflicient device, by means of which two contiguous dielectric units may be securely coupled together, in

such .manner as to prevent relative rotation of said units. A further object is to provide a suspending device of the character referred to wherein an accidental uncoupling ofthe contiguousunits 'is impossible. A

further object'is to provide a device of the charactenreferred to, which may be easily manipulated, whereby the dielectric units may be quickly coupled or uncoupled as occasion may require, and having meansfor preventing accidental displacement. A further object, is to provide a suspending device capable of interlocking engagement with the metal cap of a dielectric element, and having means for engaging a suitable support from which it may be suspended.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a high tension insulator with the invention applied thereto. Figure 2 is a detail perspective view illustrating one of the caps or spiders. Figure 3 is a detail perspective view illustrating one of 'the cou- Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view 011 the line '44 Figure 3. Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating a modification of the link.

Referring. to the drawing, the invention is illustrated in the form of an insulator made up of two units, although it is not limited in this respect, because the number of units may be varied to conform to the different conditions which may have to be met. As illustrated, each unit consists of a disk 10 of ceramic material, referably circular in plan view, and provic ed with upper and lower-hub-like portions or bosses 11 and 12. Each of said hub-like portions or bosses is provided with a series of openings parallel with the axis of the disk and arranged in a circle concentric thereto.

Attached to the bosses or hub-like portions 11 and 12, are metal caps or supporting members 16, in the top of each of which is an elongated slot 17, each of said caps being also provided with a plurality of spaced apart attenuated portions or spider-like legs 18, arranged in a circle and corresponding in number with the openings 13, into which they are inserted. After the insertion of the legs 18 into the openings 13, they may be anchored in any suitable manner, but it is preferred .to construct the recesses and the legs, in the manner illustrated in the patent above referred to, and to fill the recesses with a metal which may be applied in a molten condition but which will become sufficiently hard to provide a rigid substantially integral union of the parts.

Any number of dielectric units 10 may be coupled together in series by means of coupling links L, each of which comprises a body, provided at its ends with elongated T-like heads 22, of a length capable of being passed through the slots 17 of the caps 16, when disposed parallel with said slots. The

inner face of each cap is provided with recesses 23, disposed on opposite sides of the slot 17 and at right angles thereto. Said recesses are shaped to receive the ends of the heads 22, the inner surfaces of which are preferably rounded to conform to the contour of the recesses 23. Contiguous to the heads 22, the link is provided with angular faces 24, the link being of such thickness at these points as to substantially fill the slot 17, whereby when the angular faces are in register with the sides of said slot, relative rotation of the link and of the cap will be prevented. The angular faces are separated by an intermediate reduced portion 25 which is provided with an'opening to receive a cotter pin 26.

In practice, when it is desired-t0 couple a link L with a cap 16. the link is turned so as to bring one of its heads 22 into a position parallel with the slot 17, whereupon it may be inserted through said slot a sufficient distance to bring the reduced portion 25 in register with the walls of the slot 17. The link'is now given a quarter turn and then raised so as to bring the rounded ends of the lower head into interlocking engagement with the recesses 23, and to bring the lowermost angular portion 24 into register with the sides of the slots 17. The cotter pin is then inserted, its location being such impossible.

as to prevent the angular portion of the link from dropping out of engagement with the side of the slot- In this way relative rotation of the link and cap is prcvented,.and because relative rotation is necessary to permit disengagement of these parts, this arrangement make accidental disengagement It will be obvious to those skilled in the art, that the upper end'of the .link may be similarly engaged with the lowermost cap of the upper disk 10. The cotter pin being positioned between the caps and co-operating with both. To disengage a link L from a cap 16, the cotter pin 26 is withdrawn, whereupon the link may be moved inwardly to bring the reduced portion into register with the slot 17 of the cap.

This will free the link so that it may be ro tated to bring its end parallel with the slot,

through which it may then be readily withdrawn.

The modification illustrated in Figure 5,

. is designed for supporting the topmost disk 10. In this form a clevis 30 is employed, provided with a reduced shank- 31, below which is a T-head 32, and an angular portion 33.

- The reduced shank 31, the head 32 and the angular portion 33, are substantially identi cal with the reduced body 25, heads 22 and angularportions 24, of the .links L, and are engaged with the cap of. the topmost dielectric unit in the manner described for said links. The clevis 30 may be attached in suitable manner to an overhead support,

From. the foregoing it will be readily understood-that by means of the invention, two contiguous dielectric units maybe coupled together, in such manner as to prevent relative rotation of the units with respect to each other and with respect to the coupling device. The units may be quickly coupled or uncoupled as occasion may require, without destroying the desired flex-ibility necessary to insulators of this type. A

particular advantage is gained by placing the cotter pinin a' position to come .between the caps, because it is readily accessible at a all times.

through the slot being of angular cross secgaging said insulating unit,'and a suspending member having a head capable of passing through the slot of said cap and be turned so as to normally extend transversely with respect to said slot, a portion of said suspending member, where it extends tion so that it will cooperate with the sides of the slot to prevent relative rotation and v consequent accidental disengagement of the throughsaid slot and then. turned trans-.

versely to engage said seats, a portion of said suspending ,member where it extends through the slot being of angular.- cross section so that it will cooperate with the sides of the slot to prevent relative rotation and consequent accidental disengagement of the cap and suspending member.

3. Ahigh tension insulator comprising a dielectric unit, a slotted metal caphaving' its edge provided with attaching means engagmg said insulating unit, and a suspending member having a head capable of passing through the slot of said cap and be turned so as to normally extend transversely with respect to, said slot, a portion of said suspending member, where it extends through the slot being of angular crbss section so that it will cooperate with the sides of the slot to prevent relative rotation and consequent accidental disengagement of the cap and the suspending member, the shank of said suspending member having a reduced portion of less diameter than the width of the slot and so positioned that it may be moved into register with said slot so that the suspending member may then be rotated.

4. A high tension insulator comprising a dielectric unit, a slotted metal cap having its edge provided with attaching means engaging said unit, saidcap having internalseats disposed at an angle with respect to said slot, and a suspending member having a T-shapedhead complement-a1 to said seats,'

said head being capable of being passed through said slot. and then turned transversely to engage said seats, a portion of said suspending member where it extends through the slot-being of angular cross section so that it will cooperate with the sides of the slot to prevent relative rotation and consequent accidental disengagement of the cap and suspending member, the shank of said suspendingm'emberhaving a reduced portion of less diameter than the'width of the slot and so positioned that it may be moved into register with said slot so that the suspending member may then be rotated.

5. A high tension insulator comprising a dielectric unit, a slotted metal cap having its edge provided with attaching means engaging said unit, a suspending member having a head capable of passing throu h said slot and of being turned'transverse y with re- 'of the slot to prevent relative rotation and consequent accidental disengagement of the cap and the suspending member, the shank of said suspending member having a re duced portion of less diameter than the Width of the slot so as to permit rotation of said suspending member while said reduced portion is in register with the slot, and means normally preventing longitudinal movement of said suspending device while Silid angular portion is engaged with said s ot.

6. A high tension insulator comprising a dielectric unit', a slotted metal cap having its edge provided with'attaching means engaging said unit, a suspending member having a head capable of passing through said slot and of being turned transversely with respect to the slot, a portion of said suspending member where it normally extends through said slot being of angular cross section so that it will cooperate with the sides of the slot to prevent relative rotation and consequent accidental disengagement of the cap and the suspending member, the shank of said suspending member having a reduced portion of less diameter than the width of the slot so as to permit rotation of said suspending member while said reduced portion is in register with the slot, and a removable pin passed through said reduced portion in a' position transversely with respect'to the slot and normally engaging the outer surface of said cap so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the suspending member while the angular portion thereof is engaged with the slot.

7. In a high tension insulator, a suspending device comprising a body provided with an elongated T-shaped end of approximately the same thickness as the contiguous portion of the body thereof, a portion of reduced cross section, and a portion of angular cross section located between said head and said reduced portion.

8." In a high tension insulator, a suspend: ing device comprising a body having T- shaped extremities, a middle portion of reduced cross section, and portions of angular cross section between said middle portion and said T-shaped extremities.

9. In a high tension insulator, a suspending device comprising a body provided with a T-shaped end, a portion of reduced cross section, a portion of angular cross section located between said head and said reduced portion, and a locking device extending transversely through said portion of reduced cross section.

10. In a high tension insulator, a suspending device comprising a body having T- shaped extremities, a middle portion of reduced cross section, portions of angular cross section between said middle portion and said T-shaped extremities, and a locking device extending transversely through said portion of reduced cross section.

11. A high tension insulator comprising a dielectric unit having a slotted metal cap attached thereto, a suspending device rovided'with a T-shaped head adapted to fit beneath said cap, said suspending device having a body of angular cross section positioned to normally engage the sides of said slot to prevent relative rotation of said suspending device and said cap, said suspending device also having a portion of reduced cross section of less diameter than the slot so that when said portion of reduced diameter is in register with the slot said suspending device may be rotated, and a locking device definitely positioned with respect to said T-shaped end, so that it may cooperate with the metal cap of any insulator unit which may be engaged with said suspending device.

12. A high tension insulator comprising a dielectric unit provided with a slotted metal cap, asuspending device comprising a shank having T-shaped extremities either of which is shaped to engage said cap, the middle portion of said shank being of reduced cross section so that saidshank may be rotated while projecting through said slot, said shank between the reduced portion and said extremities being provided with portions of i I angular cross section so that either will cooperate with the sides of the slot to prevent relative rotation, and a single locking device definitely positioned with respect to both of.

said T-shaped extremities, so that said look I ing device will cooperate with the adjacent caps of any two -insulator units which may be engaged with -the respective T-shaped ends. V

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT M. JOHNSTONL 

